[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 233 (Wednesday, December 8, 2021)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 69577-69578]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-26568]



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 Rules and Regulations
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 233 / Wednesday, December 8, 2021 / 
Rules and Regulations  

[[Page 69577]]



FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM

12 CFR Part 204

[Regulation D; Docket No. R-1762]
RIN 7100-AG 24


Reserve Requirements of Depository Institutions

AGENCY: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Board is amending Regulation D, Reserve Requirements of 
Depository Institutions, to reflect the annual indexing of the reserve 
requirement exemption amount and the low reserve tranche for 2022. The 
annual indexation of these amounts is required notwithstanding the 
Board's action in March 2020 setting all reserve requirement ratios to 
zero. The Regulation D amendments set the reserve requirement exemption 
amount for 2022 at $32.4 million (increased from $21.1 million in 2021) 
and the amount of the low reserve tranche at $640.6 million (increased 
from $182.9 million in 2021). The adjustments to both of these amounts 
are derived using statutory formulas specified in the Federal Reserve 
Act (the ``Act''). The increases in the exemption amount and low 
reserve tranche for 2022 are larger than in previous years, primarily 
reflecting the one-time effects of the Regulation D amendments that 
eliminated the six convenient transfer limit from the definition of a 
savings deposit and recognized savings deposits as a type of 
transaction account. The annual indexation of the reserve requirement 
exemption amount and low reserve tranche, though required by statute, 
will not affect depository institutions' reserve requirements, which 
will remain zero.

DATES: Effective January 7, 2022.
    Compliance dates: The new low reserve tranche and reserve 
requirement exemption amount will apply beginning January 1, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sophia H. Allison, Senior Special 
Counsel (202/452-3565), Kristen Payne, Lead Financial Institution and 
Policy Analyst (202/452-2872), or Francis A. Martinez, Lead Financial 
Institution and Policy Analyst (202/245-4217), Division of Monetary 
Affairs; Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 20th and C 
Streets NW, Washington, DC 20551.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 19(b)(2) of the Act (12 U.S.C. 
461(b)(2)) requires each depository institution to maintain reserves 
against its transaction accounts and nonpersonal time deposits, as 
prescribed by Board regulations, for the purpose of implementing 
monetary policy. The Board's actions with respect to this provision is 
discussed below.

I. Reserve Requirements

    Section 19(b) of the Act authorizes different ranges of reserve 
requirement ratios depending on the amount of transaction account 
balances at a depository institution. Section 19(b)(11)(A) of the Act 
(12 U.S.C. 461(b)(11)(A)) provides that a zero percent reserve 
requirement ratio shall apply at each depository institution to total 
reservable liabilities that do not exceed a certain amount, known as 
the reserve requirement exemption amount. Section 19(b)(11)(B) provides 
that, before December 31 of each year, the Board shall issue a 
regulation adjusting the reserve requirement exemption amount for the 
next calendar year if total reservable liabilities held at all 
depository institutions increase from one year to the next. No 
adjustment is made to the reserve requirement exemption amount if total 
reservable liabilities held at all depository institutions should 
decrease during the applicable time period. The Act requires the 
percentage increase in the reserve requirement exemption amount to be 
80 percent of the increase in total reservable liabilities of all 
depository institutions over the one-year period that ends on the June 
30 prior to the adjustment.
    Total reservable liabilities of all depository institutions 
increased by 67.0 percent, from $10,901 billion to $18,204 billion, 
between June 30, 2020, and June 30, 2021. Accordingly, the Board is 
amending Regulation D to set the reserve requirement exemption amount 
for 2022 at $32.4 million, an increase of $11.3 million from its level 
in 2021.\1\
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    \1\ Consistent with Board practice, the low reserve tranche and 
reserve requirement exemption amounts have been rounded to the 
nearest $0.1 million.
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    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the Act (12 U.S.C. 461(b)(2)), 
transaction account balances maintained at each depository institution 
over the reserve requirement exemption amount and up to a certain 
amount, known as the low reserve tranche, may be subject to a reserve 
requirement ratio of not more than 3 percent (and which may be zero). 
Transaction account balances over the low reserve tranche may be 
subject to a reserve requirement ratio of not more than 14 percent (and 
which may be zero). Section 19(b)(2) also provides that, before 
December 31 of each year, the Board shall issue a regulation adjusting 
the low reserve tranche for the next calendar year. The Act requires 
the adjustment in the low reserve tranche to be 80 percent of the 
percentage increase or decrease in total transaction accounts of all 
depository institutions over the one-year period that ends on the June 
30 prior to the adjustment.
    Net transaction accounts of all depository institutions increased 
312.8 percent, from $3,866 billion to $15,961 billion, between June 30, 
2020, and June 30, 2021. Accordingly, the Board is amending Regulation 
D to set the low reserve tranche for net transaction accounts for 2022 
at $640.6 million, an increase of $457.7 million from 2021. The new 
reserve requirement exemption amount and low reserve tranche will be 
effective for all depository institutions beginning January 1, 2022.
    Effective March 26, 2020, the Board reduced reserve requirement 
ratios on all net transaction accounts to zero percent, eliminating 
reserve requirements for all depository institutions. The annual 
indexation of the reserve requirement exemption amount and the low 
reserve tranche for 2022 is required by statute but will not affect 
depository institutions' reserve requirements, which will remain zero.

II. Regulatory Analysis

Administrative Procedure Act

    The provisions of 5 U.S.C. 553(b) relating to notice of proposed 
rulemaking have not been followed in

[[Page 69578]]

connection with the adoption of these amendments. The amendments 
involve expected, ministerial adjustments prescribed by statute and by 
the Board's policy concerning reporting practices. The adjustments in 
the reserve requirement exemption amount and the low reserve tranche 
serve to reduce regulatory burdens on depository institutions. 
Accordingly, the Board finds good cause for determining, and so 
determines, that notice in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(b) is 
unnecessary.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) does not apply to a rulemaking 
where a general notice of proposed rulemaking is not required.\2\ As 
noted previously, the Board has determined that it is unnecessary to 
publish a general notice of proposed rulemaking for this final rule. 
Accordingly, the RFA's requirements relating to an initial and final 
regulatory flexibility analysis do not apply.
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    \2\ 5 U.S.C. 603 and 604.
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Paperwork Reduction Act

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,\3\ the 
Board reviewed this final rule. No collections of information pursuant 
to the Paperwork Reduction Act are contained in the final rule.
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    \3\ 44 U.S.C. 3506; 5 CFR 1320.
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List of Subjects in 12 CFR Part 204

    Banks, banking, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

Authority and Issuance

    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, the Board is amends 12 
CFR part 204 as follows:

PART 204--RESERVE REQUIREMENTS OF DEPOSITORY INSTITUTIONS 
(REGULATION D)

0
1. The authority citation for part 204 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  12 U.S.C. 248(a), 248(c), 461, 601, 611, and 3105.


0
2. Section 204.4 is amended by revising paragraph (f) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  204.4  Computation of required reserves.

* * * * *
    (f) For all depository institutions, Edge and Agreement 
corporations, and United States branches and agencies of foreign banks, 
required reserves are computed by applying the reserve requirement 
ratios in table 1 to this paragraph (f) to net transaction accounts, 
nonpersonal time deposits, and Eurocurrency liabilities of the 
institution during the computation period.

                        Table 1 to Paragraph (f)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Reservable liability                  Reserve requirement
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Net Transaction Accounts:                     ..........................
    $0 to reserve requirement exemption       0 percent of amount.
     amount ($32.4 million).
    Over reserve requirement exemption        0 percent of amount.
     amount ($32.4 million) and up to low
     reserve tranche ($640.6 million).
    Over low reserve tranche ($640.6          $0 plus 0 percent of
     million).                                 amount over $640.6
                                               million.
    Nonpersonal time deposits...............  0 percent.
    Eurocurrency liabilities................  0 percent.
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    By order of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve 
System, acting through the Director of the Division of Monetary 
Affairs under delegated authority, December 3, 2021.
Ann E. Misback,
Secretary of the Board.
[FR Doc. 2021-26568 Filed 12-7-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6210-01-P